Probably the best draw we could have hoped for… in more ways than one.
The reaction to Tuesday’s draw will tell you that, by and large, Irish fans were pretty satisfied when we were pitted with Denmark in a play-off for the 2018 World Cup.
Not only are Denmark the lowest ranked of all the seeded teams we could have faced, Copenhagen is a beautiful part of the world to visit and far easier to access than, for example, Basel or Zagreb had we been paired with Switzerland or Croatia respectively.
Last week, we offered an essential travel guide to all four potential host cities for the away leg of Ireland’s play-off and now that we know for sure it’s Copenhagen, we’ve provided a few tips on how to get there and enjoy the experience without breaking the bank.
Roll on Saturday, November 11.
Flights
At the time of writing (pretty much immediately after the date of the away leg was confirmed as Saturday, November 11), according to Skyscanner, options are pretty thin on the ground for fans who want to return home directly on Sunday, the day after the game.
If you were prepared to extend your stay to two, or even three nights, however, your options are more plentiful.
Before any domestic airlines announce extra flights to and from the Danish capital especially for the game, here’s an idea of what you’re looking at…
Friday – Monday
Saturday – Monday
Check out Skyscanner for more details.
Accommodation
If you’re just looking for a place to rest your head, dorms in hostels in Copenhagen, according to Hostelworld, are available for prices starting from around €25 per night over the weekend.
As far as hotels are concerned, a quick search on Booking.com reveals plenty of two to four-star accommodation within a short distance of the city centre for under €200 per night.
There’s also a host of options on Airbnb, although only 7% of listings are available between Friday, November 9 and Sunday, November 12, so you might want to get your skates on.
Location of stadium
The Telia Parken Stadium is located approximately four kilometres from the city centre and a short walk away from the Østerport station, which is only a six-minute journey from Copenhagen’s central station.
Currency
Danish Krone, one of which is currently worth around €0.13.
Price of a pint
According to numbeo.com, 500ml of draught domestic beer will set you back approximately 45 Danish Krone (a little over €6), while a bottle (330ml) of imported beer costs a little under €5.50.
Depending on where you wet your whistle in the city, however, be warned that it could cost a little more than that.
With that in mind, drinking in public is acceptable in Denmark and may well be an option favoured by Irish fans making the trip next month.
That said, if the atmosphere gets a little rowdy then the authorities might be inclined to step in and it would be nice if there wasn’t a repeat of the mess left on one of Cardiff’s main streets ahead of our memorable victory against Wales last week.
Irish bars in the city
The Globe, The Dubliner, The Shamrock and Kennedy’s are all fairly centrally-located, while McGrath’s Irish pub, north of the city centre, is less than a ten-minute walk away from the Telia Parken Stadium.
One thing you need to see away from the football
Although the famous theme park is only in operation from April to September, the Tivoli Gardens in the heart of Copenhagen provide a wonderful setting to soak up the culture of a beautiful city.
